


Incomplete Without You

by WordNerd04



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Multi, angsty but with fluff too, the anastasia au no one asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-01-25 06:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12525560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordNerd04/pseuds/WordNerd04
Summary: Three children thought they would be friends forever, that nothing like status could ever rip them apart. They were wrong. Hurled deep into despair; believing that they are separated by Death. Over time they find one another, carefully putting the pieces back together all the while desperately avoiding the Darkness that once threatened to consume them.(Anastasia AU but with our own spin!)





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> So.... I'm back and along with the amazing writer Galaxaria we present you our collab!!! I hope you guys enjoy it cause its so fun working with her! Anyway, enjoy ^^

1912

 

There was once a kingdom that flourished and it was all due to the Shirogane royal family. The trade was ever blooming, and the citizens were all content. The kingdom was the pride and joy of the people, and it wasn’t hard to know why. The city was splendid, the economy was well-taken care of, and the Emperor and Empress were very kind and strong people.

 

Among them, were the two sons that that the Emperor and Empress had. Crown Prince Takashi and Prince Keith. The two were merely five years apart, but despite that, they got along very well. They always explored the castle together, played and got in trouble together. There was no doubt that they were both fond of each other, as was the kingdom.

 

However, the duo was to expand thanks to Keith. 

 

It was no surprise that between the two, Takashi was always the more cautious one while Keith was more impulsive. The stereotypical difference between brothers, if you will.

 

That’s what lead Keith to falling down the stairs during a game of hide and seek. (Leave it to Keith to find a way to make this game dangerous.) Now, that wasn’t the scary part, but rather the fact that before he crash landed on the ground, he tackled a girl on his way down. 

 

Katherine, that was her name.  Katie for short.

 

Takashi made his way down, his feet tripping over each other until he picked up both Keith and the girl. The girl was fiddling with her glasses, eyes glued to the floor. 

 

“I’m sorry about that, your name is-“

 

“Katie. Daughter of Samuel Holt and Collen, they are your family’s architects… sir.” She went quiet, Keith only stared at her. Katie was looking at her shoes, her hands politely tucked to her sides as she did her best not to curl her fingers into fists in an attempt to hide the oil and ink that she knew would be staining her pale skin. She nearly squeaked in horror when she noticed the younger prince edging closer toward her, never mind that the elder prince had touched her!

 

“How old are you?” Keith asked, inspecting the girl, both getting to know the new kid and seeing if she had sustained any injuries he might have accidentally caused. Katie only stiffened. She was going to get in trouble for interacting with royalty, oh, she was definitely going to get grounded for more than a week! And what if the prince, either of them, decide they don’t like her and exile her and-

 

“I’m six.” 

 

“You are older than me,” Keith stated like that’s the most obvious thing. Which it was, but Katie wondered when exactly either of them was going to mention their status.

 

“Are you okay?” The older prince asked. Katie looked up at him and swallowed.

 

“I’m great!” She smiled tightly. “I apologize for the incident, it was my fault!”   
  


“Not at all, Keith just doesn’t know how to walk down the stairs apparently.”

 

“Hey!” 

 

Katie exchanged a glance between both princes and smiled… they seemed nice. Not strict or greedy or rude like the other royalty she had seen strutting around this very castle as if they themselves owned it. But still, that didn’t excuse her presence. How was she going to explain this to her parents…. Oh gosh and  _ Matt!  _ Matt would get really jealous and side with her parents!

 

“Want to join our game?” Keith asked.

 

Katie’s gaze dropped to the floor as she hunched her shoulders, instinctively making herself appear smaller. “I’m not supposed to even talk to royalty.” 

 

Keith scoffed,“stupid rule. We break them all the time, right Takashi!?” At that the prince chuckled nervously before clearing his throat.

 

“You should play with us, if you want,” Takashi said, affirming his brother’s earlier offer.

 

Katie was going to refuse. She didn’t want to get grounded….

 

Yet she found herself nodding and befriending just about the two most important people in the kingdom. 

 

* * *

 

There were a couple things that came with this friendship, Katie noted.

 

_ First of all, Keith. _

 

Keith was great, and Katie loved the guy. He was fun, smart, but what she loved the most was that he was also into myths and lore. It was quite often when the two would be found reading a new book that the prince got--usually from Takashi and it was mostly his way of trying to keep the pair out of too much trouble when he wasn’t able to keep an eye on them, or testing one of Katie’s machine to catch something. They both shared a love for the unknown. 

 

_ Second of all, it was Takashi. _

 

Katie never knew how exactly to label their relationship, it definitely wasn’t like the one she had with Keith. Takashi, usually loved going with her to whatever new adventures she had planned. He had the same wanderlust as she and Keith did; the same craving to go out into the wide unknown to just learn and discover. As they grew up though, the time spent with him began to lessen because Takashi is a prince… and with that came the responsibilities of being a ruler and the boring diplomatic stuff he hard to learn. Katie didn’t like that. She did however, like the way the crown seem to fit so well on him.

 

So Katie did what she had to do to get Takashi back… for her and Keith. Definitely for her, she missed spending time with her friend. This meant sneaking him out of boring lessons and taking him out to the village, sometimes to her little workspace, or even to the gardens. Takashi never protested, but rather  followed her with glee. Unbeknownst to the young pair, they became a rather amusing and admittedly cute sight to whatever adults managed to spy them--usually palace workers out on the grounds. They were such a contrast; tiny and determined Katie Holt whom was often covered in charcoal dust and oil due to the work she did to help her parents and the projects she herself created, dragging around a laughing Prince Takashi dressed in his finery and often found with a serious expression on his young face that usually showed the weight he often felt on his shoulders due to being the Crown Prince of such a beloved and prosperous land.

 

_ Third of all, she got royal treatment sometimes. _

 

This meant that whenever there was a ball that twelve year old Takashi had to go, Katie was invited. Keith would entertain her, which in turn would entertain him as well as helped him avoid the stuffy children of other royals and nobility. Not all of the children appreciated having a servant’s child near them, much to Keith’s annoyance. Meanwhile, Takashi would take her dancing. It was nice. Katie liked dancing. She liked dancing with Takashi, especially when he would twirl her. It made her feel almost like a princess as her skirt would fly up around her as she spun. The prince noticed her joy and during whatever free time the three of them had that wasn’t spent on adventuring, he would take her dancing in an empty ballroom. Keith kept guard, in case anyone decided to intrude. The younger prince never really minded this role as it gave him the chance to play as a warrior stoically keeping an eye out for potential trouble or danger. It was a fitting balance between the three.

 

She would also be allowed in his room; well, it was  more like she broke in, but it was just because Takashi frequently had nightmares and she had a nice soothing voice and could sing. So whenever she was able to slip near his room, she would have a ready made distraction sending the guards to another wing of the castle which enabled her easier access to the elder prince’s room...she did have to pick the lock in order to actually  _ get _ inside...a soft song would be tumbling from her lips as she closed the door and went over to the troubled sleeper. Takashi  liked their secret routine and Katie didn’t complain when most of the time they ended up cuddling until moments before dawn.

* * *

 

 

Keith, Shiro and Katie kept this friendship hidden. 

 

Or at least they tried. 

 

Keith suspected his cousin Allura knew about it, but she never actually said it and Keith wasn’t going to confess.

 

Status quo was a thing, and it  was known as the reason why Katie couldn’t be seen in public with the princes; and they couldn’t be seen with a commoner. It did not matter to Keith or Takashi. 

 

It did however, matter to Lord Zarkon. 

 

Zarkon was… not nice. None of the kids liked him, but for some reason he was in the castle. Takashi had heard he was friends with Allura’s father, which only made him question his Uncle Alfor’s judgement. 

 

Katie, specifically, had a hatred for him. Well justified, she might add. 

 

She was a commoner, and Zarkon knew this. She was a commoner that seemed to be too close to the princes… Zarkon  _ knew _ this. 

 

Takashi stumbled upon the fact that Katie did not always eat. He became painfully aware of this fact when he and Keith snuck down into the kitchens after the younger had awoken the elder due to his being hungry and not wanting to venture through the darkened castle alone. He’d found Katie hiding in a corner near a large fireplace, cautiously gnawing on a leftover roll, her amber eyes wide with wariness when she caught sight of her friends.

 

Takashi knelt down in front of her and gently commented that he’d noticed she was a bit thinner than usual and asked why this was. Katie shakily told him that Lord Zarkon often punished her whenever her parents and brother were out of the palace on an engineering expedition that would eventually benefit the kingdom. 

 

The oft angered noble did not appreciate Katie mingling with the princes on such a casual level and sought to ensure that the little girl knew her place--usually by starving her. She never told anyone for fear of making her situation and potentially that of her family’s, worse. 

 

The prince bristled with barely concealed rage. This would not stand. He straightened from his kneeling position and went about the kitchen, filling a plate with meat and vegetables; Keith helped out by dropping a couple of pastries on the plate and filling a cup with water. (Keith also snuck in a couple of cookies, after all what was a meal without dessert?) The brothers then sat with Katie ensuring that she felt safe enough to eat until she was full.

 

This sadly became a new routine whenever Zarkon would punish the girl. Takashi knew it happened more often than the girl liked to admit, Katie had pride. The prince sometimes felt helpless as he was unsure how to approach his parents on this subject, Katie was a commoner, but she didn’t deserve to be treated in such a way. Zarkon needed to be stopped, that much was obvious. Takashi just didn’t see a way of doing so that wouldn’t endanger his friend.

 

Keith was the one who noticed a bruise near her jaw a couple of months later. Katie snapped at him and then ran away. Both Takashi and Keith looked very worried, and it didn’t took a genius to figure out what exactly had happened and who had done it. 

 

Both boys went to search her, but they only found her trying to cover it up with some paint (or maybe oil from her machines), and revealing even more small bruises. They had to put a stop to it. Keith felt anger rise at him like he never felt before, how dare Lord Zarkon even come near his friend! Takashi felt infuriated, no one should lay a hand on Katie. No one. 

 

It didn’t take long before Takashi and Keith caught Zarkon seconds away from slapping the girl days following their discover. 

 

“Zarkon, if I was you I would drop that hand.”

 

Takashi was smart enough to bring the Grand Vizier, his Uncle Alfor too. 

 

Zarkon dropped his hand and then glared at the children. He looked shocked, and for a moment, fear flashed across his eyes as he backed away. Alfor was enraged, immediately going to Katie’s side and making sure she wasn’t hurt. The man seemed to be towering above her.

 

Alfor took a couple of deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down for the child’s sake. In the gentlest voice he could muster, he asked, “has he hurt you before?” 

 

Katie remained quiet, she only shot a glance to Takashi before biting her lip, eyes refocusing on the floor. 

 

“He has,” Takashi answered for her, taking a step forward. Keith nodded, crossing his arms. Alfor only cleared his throat before approaching Zarkon.

 

“Zarkon, you had best pack your belongings and leave. Immediately. You are henceforth banished from this kingdom.”   
  


“Alfor, you can’t do that! I’m a lord!” He became desperate, a reaction that was never seen from the man before. “What of my son? He has no skills beyond the political world. And my wife! She’s been ill for weeks or have you forgotten that? You think it wise to move her from her sickbed?”

 

The Grand Vizier sighed gustily. “Of course I haven’t forgotten that Honerva is ill, Zarkon. She’s one of my closest colleagues and friends. She will be provided for, I will not let a sick woman worsen merely because her husband thinks himself so important, he has to torment a child in order to show so!” His voice grew in rage and Takashi had half a mind to shield Katie from what was not even directed at her.

 

“I’m stripping you of your titles and estates. Now  _ go _ . Return here and it shall be on the pain of your death,” Zarkon let out a snarl before turning away, his loud heavy footsteps echoing. Katie looked on as the man walked away, her fingers trembling. Takashi took her hand in his own, squeezing it comfortingly, and Keith hugged her side. 

 

“I will have my vengeance…” the now ex-lord bellowed. “On  _ all _ of you!”  With that, he stormed away, leaving the three kids frozen in place, with Alfor standing in front of them, acting as their shield.

 

_ (Shields work… but over time, they also crumble.) _


	2. Fading fragments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge, Keith and Shiro start growing up... and past demons begin to crawl out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for your reviews!!! We hope you enjoy this chapter, which was mostly written by Galxaria... Let the angst begin!

Crown Prince Takashi Shirogane of Altea practically stood at attention much like a soldier would; however it was not a reflection of good behavior on his part, but rather, an attempt to keep himself from fidgeting out of impatience. Certainly the twelve year old had played the role of a gracious host and danced with several young ladies around his age whenever he was asked, but the one young lady he wanted to dance with the most wasn’t at tonight’s ball yet. At least, Takashi hoped it was a not yet instead of his best friend not making an appearance at all. 

 

He sighed quietly through his teeth in an effort to mask his despondency. Come to think of it, Keith had yet to show up as well. The same went for his cousin the Duchess Allura, older than Takashi by three years.

Takashi did his best not to frown at that notion. Allura was  _ never  _ late for any type of party and this was a very special celebration tonight. It was a dual commencement, something that was rarely acknowledged in one gathering. Not only was this a splendid celebration of the three hundred years the Shirogane family had ruled Altea, but it was also a farewell party of sorts. Takashi was due to leave the kingdom the next day to study abroad in Italy for the next two years. Katie had remarked ruefully that she had family she’d never met over there and it would be the perfect excuse to go with him and not say goodbye.

It had been extremely tempting, however Samuel Holt had been crafting and inventing more complex machines and devices that could almost be considered convoluted were it not for the fact that it had the Holt touch…from all four of them. Katie was growing to be very skilled as an inventor in her own right with her own creations and with the way she took older inventions once belonging to her father and improving upon them. It was an unofficial competition of sorts between father and daughter, but one that was filled with love and light hearted teasing. While her elder brother Matthew might champion his sister’s desire to join the crown prince in Italy, Takashi knew that her parents would rather have Katie at their side.

It didn’t mean he wouldn’t miss her everyday presence in her life.  Especially when she was able to coax him out of his stiff and perceived perfect demeanor as a prince and help him have fun, assuring him that it was okay for Takashi to be himself.

She also showed him that life beyond the palace wasn’t entirely as glorious and as prosperous as what the papers and various council members led his parents to believe...

 

_ The three friends sat atop one of the many lush rolling hills surrounding the palace. Takashi was tucked between Keith and Katie, his arms clasped around his pulled in legs as he stared out toward the vast, bustling Imperial City.  _

 

_ “All this studying is so draining, I don’t even know if I want to be Emperor,” Takashi grumped. _

_ “You had best be,” Keith retorted. “You’re more level headed than I am. More open minded. How could I run Altea if you abdicate?!” _

_ “I wouldn’t abandon you or the kingdom completely,” Takashi reassured his younger brother, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close. “We’d just switch places.  _ You  _ be the king and  _ I’ll  _ be the military commander.” _

_ Keith wrinkled his nose at that, a grimace in his face, “no thanks.” _

 

_ “You don’t think you’d make a good Emperor?” Takashi asked. _

_ The younger prince shrugged, before wriggling away from his brother’s grasp. “I dunno, Takashi. My lessons are more on military strategies and assisting you on the council. I’m not being taught what to do when it comes to making big decisions.” _

_ Takashi frowned, “that’s not right,” he said. “You need to know these things just as I do. I’ll see if Mama and Papa can adjust your lessons to reflect that.” _

_ When Keith hummed his doubt, Takashi sighed and flopped back onto the grass, ignoring the morning dew that seeped into his fine clothes. He stretched his ever growing limbs to their limit, sighing in satisfaction as he then slipped his arms behind his head. He looked over at his friend as she watched the clouds, her expression a mixture of curiosity and dreaming. She probably was lost in her daydreams again, maybe thinking of new inventions. _

 

_ “Hey, Katie?” _

_ “Hmm?” _

_ “What would you do if you were Empress?” _

_ Katie blinked in surprise before returning her friend’s curious gaze. “Empress?” she echoed. _

_ “Yeah,” Takashi affirmed with a nod. “If you were Empress, what would you do to make the kingdom better?” _

_ Katie was silent for a long moment as she absorbed the prince’s question, reflecting on what she knew of Altea and how it differed from what Keith and Takashi knew of their homeland. She combed her fingers through the grass, idly ripping up handfuls as she organized her thoughts.  _

 

_ “There are a few things I would do as Empress,” Katie began slowly, shyly. “For one, there has to be a better way to access medicine.” _

_ Keith jolted in surprise at his friend’s statement, leaning over his brother as he asked incredulously, “people can’t get to medicine?!” _

_ Katie shook her head. _

 

_ “No, it’s not easy for lots of people in the outlying villages. There are not enough supplies, there’s not enough medicine…” she looked down again. “And in some towns there are no doctors…people can’t afford the education…sometimes the closest doctors are hours, even days away. And by then,” her voice caught in her throat, “It can be too late.” _

_ Takashi sat up and took Katie’s hand in his own, squeezing it softly. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Katie hadn’t been born in the palace and that she had moved in with her family when she was barely a toddler. He watched carefully for tears as he hesitantly asked her, “Katie…have you ever lost anyone in the villages?” _

_ She pressed her lips in a tight line, willing away the hot tears that threatened to spill over. _

 

_ “A few friends,” she admitted. “Winter fevers would steal them away. Their parents would tell me in the spring whenever Papa would take me with him to the villages for either the Inventors Fair as a judge or when he’d implement whatever new inventions he was allowed in order to help the people and I didn’t see them around.” _

 

_ Keith frowned at her sad tale, then his brow furrowed as he caught on to a particular piece of her last sentence. “Wait…what do you mean that your father was ‘allowed’ to help the villagers?” _

_ Katie chuckled uncomfortably. _

 

_ “Some people were rather resentful and jealous of Papa’s rise to Palace Architect and Inventor that they thought themselves too proud to ask for someone higher than them to help them even though Papa was once like them. Sometimes I think their pride and envy has led their villages to their suffering.” _

_ She cleared her throat and kept going. “People aren’t exactly starving, but I’d like to create machines that would aid in farming; helping those that cannot help themselves like the elderly, widowed and disabled till the land and plant the crops. I’d also find a way to protect the crops in the harshest of winters and maybe even ensure there’s always clean water!” _

_ Takashi grinned and pulled her into a hug, laughing at her squeak at the suddenness of it all. He could hear Keith chuckle next to him.  _

 

_ “You’d make an amazing Empress, Katie,” he told her proudly. “Are you sure there’s no way I can bring you to Italy with me? You’d open up so many eyes and minds.” _

_ “Short of you hiding me away in your trunks Your Highness,” Katie replied somewhat loftily, “I fear not.” _

_ “Good,” Keith cut in. “If I’m going to be left here in Altea, I’d rather not be all alone.” _

_ “You wouldn’t be alone,” Takashi said. “You’d have our parents, Uncle Alfor and Allura.” _

_ Keith made a face.  _

 

_ “But they don’t know the real you. They know the perfect Prince Takashi. Katie knows you.” _

_ The pair chuckled and Katie shifted in Takashi’s arms. Her amber eyes took on a dreamy quality as she said softly, “there’s one more important thing that I’d try to get done if I were Empress.” _

_ “What’s that?” Takashi asked. _

_ “I’d make sure that everyone, no matter their rank, sex or color of their skin, everyone would have an education. That way not only would we have more doctors, but more teachers, more lawyers and inventors. I think as Empress, it’d be good to have that voice, especially for girls.” _

_ She gave a gasp, her eyes widening as she turned in Takashi’s grasp. _

_ “N-not that I don’t think your mother doesn’t do anything!” She told him hastily, “I know she donates funds to the religious houses and that she makes clothes for the less fortunate.” _

 

_ She plucked at a forest green jacket she was wearing, embellished with an intricate design of tiny colorful flowers and leaves, hand-stitched and dressed up with beads; the design crowning her shoulders and dancing along the edges of her sleeves and waist.  _

 

_ “She sewed my favorite jacket after all. I’ve worn this for two years now.” _

_ Keith raised an eyebrow at that. “Two years and it still fits? Katie, you have been eating, right?” Katie giggled and spoke before Takashi could give voice to his growing concern.  _

 

_ “She sews them too large on purpose, Keith. It’s so we kids can grow into them and they can last a long while. I still have a few skirts and shirts from a year or so ago too.” She sobered slightly as she continued, “The education bit is just what I’d do as Empress and hopefully the Emperor would agree with me. Marriage is a partnership and sadly, men have a louder voice than women do in society usually.” _

_ Takashi looked at Katie thoughtfully. “If you were still living in the village,” he began. “Would you still know as much as you do now?” _

_ “Probably,” she replied with a little shrug, “Mama and Papa are both pretty educated and teach me and Matt everything that they know. Everything else I’ve learned from observing.” She bit her lip.  _

 

_ “I don’t know if other girls are necessarily as lucky.” She doubted it honestly, as she recalled knowing several adults whom were illiterate and relied heavily on help from neighbors and her parents whenever they visited the villages. _

_ Katie was unable to say more as bells signaling the hour began to chime and she gasped as she realized just how late in the morning it was. Carefully she pulled away from the crown prince’s hug.  _

 

_ “I’m late!” she squeaked. “Ooh, Mama is going to lecture me if she can’t find me. Papa’s working on a big invention for tomorrow night’s ball! I’ve got to go!” Skipping over her customary goodbye hugs, Katie made a mad dash down the hill hoping to be back inside the palace before her parents noticed her gone. _

_ Takashi stared after Katie with a peculiar expression on his face, a  ghost of a soft smile on his lips. _

 

_ “What’re you thinking?” Keith asked. _

_ “I’m going to marry her,” Takashi replied seriously, “We’re already best friends; we could probably be the best of partners. I don’t care if she’s seen as a commoner; I’m going to marry Katie.” _

_ Around his giggles, Keith quizzed him.  _

 

_ “Think you can love her?” _

_ His brother shrugged before smirking and poking him in the side and making him squirm.  _

 

_ “I said she’s my best friend. That’s already like a kind of love. I think that would make doing gross marriage stuff easier if she’s my wife. We can complain together.” _

_ “It also means I’ll have a better chance at kicking your butt in snowball fights.” Takashi laughed.  _

 

_ “If she marries me, what makes you think she’ll be on your side?” _

_ “Because it means that she’ll get to kick your butt too,” Keith told him proudly, “Besides, she’s almost like a sister to me anyway. Marrying you just makes it legal.” _

 

* * *

 

Takashi bit his lip at the memory, trying to hold in a giggle. It really wouldn’t be so bad to marry Katie. As he had told his brother, Katie was his best friend. They had known each other for years and there would still be years to come. It would be so much better than marrying a stranger—princess or not.

He sighed a little at that. Katie  _ wasn’t _ a princess. Then again, neither was his own mother. She was a duchess, however, and not a commoner. Takashi frowned as he combed through his memory, trying to recall if there was ever such a circumstance where a Queen had been born a commoner. 

 

_ Oh, right _ . 

 

Queen Anne Boleyn of England was one such lady. Except…Takashi sighed as he remembered reading that her reign had been very brief all because she was unable to produce a living son for her husband King Henry VIII…there had been a witch hunt against her, literally. Her trial had been brief and completely convoluted leading to her execution by beheading. That wasn't such a nice example to think of.    
  


Katie wouldn’t have to worry about such a thing. There had been great Empresses in Altea’s time aside from his own mother. His great-great grandmother Leilani had ruled justly and generously. She had been widowed rather young at the age of twenty-six; yet she had loved her husband so deeply she had never married again despite all the urging to do so. Before the king had passed, she had borne him twin daughters and Empress Leilani had absolutely refused to hand over the kingdom to his younger brother simply because there was no son to act as Regent for. That had been a darker time in her reign as she had nearly gone to war against her in-laws and blood family members alike while avoiding assassination.

Not to mention that Takashi was fairly certain he wouldn’t mind if he only fathered daughters. He blushed as he thought about just how he would have to go about getting Katie to carry a baby. Luckily he had years and years before actually needing to bring up the subject. As for the commoner part…he would protect Katie from slander—as would Keith, (Keith had a sword he wasn’t afraid to use). Not that Katie needed them to necessarily protect her, she could easily show Altea just how brilliant and wonderful she was, (plus Takashi was sure she could invent something that could destroy her enemies with one button).

It would be a good reign, Takashi was sure. And it’d be the three of them to make it all happen. Keith as the Commander of the Military and as his lead councilman; the one who had a voice as loud as his and Katie’s. Though his tact did need a bit of work—he was seven after all, his brother had time—Keith was sharp and fierce, much like a sword. Katie had a deep love that seemed to go around to everyone she knew of and she was already willing to work tirelessly protecting and saving them just like a shield would. As for Takashi himself…when he was Emperor, he knew he’d have to be the voice of reason and a voice for his people…the one to bring balance to the kingdom within the classes; making life livable and comfortable for everyone. He’d have to be the “head” of Altea, so to speak.

A gusty sigh escaped him. All of these thoughts and future plans were nice, but this ball was happening now and and he’d like to say goodbye to Keith and Katie while he still had a chance.

 

Well, he’d see Keith in the morning that was without a doubt. But Katie was becoming busier and busier as she readied for a trip into one of the villages days beyond the Capital, he doubted he would see her before he set off for his studies abroad. He also wanted to tell her how wonderful of a job she had done with her family when it came to their newest invention; a machine made just for the party that automatically poured drinks for the guests and filled food onto plates. It made for less work for the staff save for replacing any empty bottles in the machine’s grasp.

Still, there was no sight of the pair, or of his cousin Allura which was just plain strange as it meant she wasn’t out there dancing amongst the young lords of nobility as she normally did, or talking with her father’s fellow scientists. 

“Something wrong, darling?”

The crown prince jolted at the sound of his mother’s voice, whirling to face her as she watched him with a kind smile on her face though there was mirth in her black eyes that made him slightly suspicious. A mischievous Mama was hardly ever a good thing. Still, it was never wise to lie to her, not even a little white lie.

“I’m just wondering where Keith, Katie and Cousin Allura are, Mama,” he admitted, “I haven’t seen them all night.”

“They’ll be here shortly,” the Empress told her son soothingly. “They may be…working on a surprise for you of sorts.”

Takashi raised both eyebrows at that. “Oh? And you’re in on it, Mama?”

His Mama laughed coyly. “Perhaps, my sweet boy. Now, will you do your mother of dancing with her one last time before you leave me for two years?”

“Of course, Mama,” Takashi replied as he took her arm and led her out onto the ballroom floor. 

 

“You know,” he began as mother and son waltzed around the room, “It won’t be an entire two years separation, will it? You and Papa will be coming to visit, yes?”

“Yes, Takashi. As well as your Uncle Alfor and cousin Allura.” Takashi beamed at his Mama. 

 

“That’ll be good. I—” He stopped in surprise, stopping the dance altogether as he stared out across the room, barely hearing the Empress giggle. Keith and Allura had finally shown up, the latter talking to a vision of deep green and gold. 

 

“Is that Katie?” he whispered in near awe. She was so pretty, much like the fairy princesses in the beloved books she shared with Keith. Without waiting for any sort of words of encouragement from his mother, Takashi began making his way across the room to them.

As he drew closer, the crown prince could just begin to make out the snatches of conversation he caught from Allura and Katie’s conversation. 

 

“…it’s been so lovely talking with you, Katie,” Duchess Allura was telling his friend with a bright, welcoming smile on her face. “I’m just sorry we haven’t been able to converse more.”

“It’s okay,” Katie replied kindly. “You’ve been busy with your lessons and helping out your father with his inventions and discoveries just like I have with my own father.”

“We should talk more,” Allura insisted. “I wish to invite you to tea sometimes, if that’s okay.”

“It would be an honor!” Katie grinned. “Thank you, Your Grace.”

Keith also wore a grin as he watched his gob smacked older brother openly stare at their friend. 

“She’s pretty isn’t she?”

“Katie’s always been pretty,” Takashi replied almost absently as he continued to watch her, “She’s just all dressed up tonight, that’s all.”

As if hearing her name, Katie turned and noticed Takashi standing nearby. 

“Prince Takashi!” she beamed, sweeping into a curtsey. She only ever called the princes by their titles whenever the three of them in were in the presence of other nobility and royals such as they were on this night.

Takashi bowed politely, hoping to hide the sudden rush of wanting to hide and compliment her at the same time. “My lady. Would you do me the honor of this dance?”

**A** blush covered Katie’s cheeks as she rose from her curtsey, accepting his hand. 

“ _ I _ would be honored, Your Highness.” As the two walked toward the center of the room, Katie apologized for her tardiness. “I’m sorry that we’ll all arrived so late, my prince.”

Takashi smiled kindly at her. 

“I take it that was in thanks to your fairy godparents for the evening?”

Katie giggled.

“Yes, it was quite a wonderful surprise to have received.” She narrowed her eyes, a slight pout on her lips, “It was also delivered in a surprising manner too. I was on my way to find you, actually, when Keith showed up and said he had something he wanted to show me. Then he practically tackled me into the next room.”

Takashi sighed and shook his head in exasperation. “And this time it wasn’t even because we were too wild playing a game. I take it my cousin Allura was in on it as well?”

Katie smiled at that and nodded. “Yes, Duchess Allura had commissioned the dress to be made. She seemed quite excited to be involved with the surprise. She told me she’s always wanted a little sister and I was happy she was there because sometimes I too wish for an older sister as well as having my older brother.”

She leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, “and sometimes I wish for a sister  _ instead _ of my older brother!”

Takashi laughed and pretended to clutch his chest in mock pain as he tried to defend Matt. 

“Katie, be kind to your brother!”

Katie giggled and replied, “very well, Your Highness, I shall be kind.” There was a twinkle in her eyes as she continued, “but it will not stop me from being honest as well!”

Upon reaching the center of the ballroom, the pair began to execute a simple waltz, Takashi taking in Katie’s entire appearance. Her dress was long sleeved with a shallow sweetheart cut, the outer layer a deep emerald velvet with tiny embroidered vines that opened up over several layers over soft gold satin. The sleeves tapered off to points resting just on her hands that were a smooth, pale ivory. 

“No ink stains,” he teased his dance partner lightly.

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “No ink stains tonight, my prince.”

Takashi twirled her, causing her to squeal lightly as her ginger hair which had been styled in soft waves flew about her, her amber eyes glittering with delight. When the song ended, Katie led the prince to the side of the ballroom. 

“I have a gift for you,” she told him, eagerness edging her voice.

“You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“I didn’t get you anything Prince Takashi. I  _ made _ this for you.”

That caught Takashi’s attention and suddenly he was as eager as she sounded, doing his best not to bounce in place as she removed a small, crushed velvet bag from her wrist that he had not noticed mere moments ago. She held it out to him and he took it, opening the bag and withdrawing a small silver mirrored machine with a golden key laced onto a delicate matching chain.

“A music box?”

“Mhm,” Katie answered him with a nod before lowering her voice. 

“To help with your nightmares since I won’t be there.” It wasn’t castle-wide information that Crown Prince Takashi suffered from nightmares on a near nightly basis. It wasn’t known in the kingdom either and he preferred it that way. Katie seemed really satisfied in her gift as she smiled at it and then pushed it towards Takashi’s direction.

He wound the key and the lid popped up, revealing two small figures of what looked to be a mother cradling a child. Music filled the air, a woman’s singing and Takashi’s dark eyes lit up as he instantly recognized the voice. 

“You got my mother to help you with this?” Before she could respond, the voice changed to a slightly higher pitch, more silvery and fluid in tone. He laughed once he recognized it, something warm fluttering in his heart at the familiarity. 

“And there you are, Katie.”

Katie merely smiled and ducked her head as she suddenly grew bashful. She found the floor to be extremely interesting for a moment, the white marble so clean and shiny she could almost see her reflection in the large tiles. When she composed herself, she looked back at her friend who was patiently waiting for her to speak. 

“Look at the key, too.”

Obeying her request, Takashi closed the music box and pulled out the key, ceasing the singing. He studied the small golden key. In the center was a silver carving of the five mechanical lion heads that was the symbol of the Shirogane Dynasty. Surrounding the image was a golden ring and in small cursive was three names. Keith, Katie and Shiro. The prince looked up at his dance partner with a slight, quizzical smile on his face as he pointed to the last name.

Katie laughed. “Well, it was hard to fit Takashi onto there!” she defended herself, though there was a small smirk hiding in the corner of her lips. She huffed and gently took the key away from him, throwing the chain over his head and adjusting it so the key lay in the center of his chest. 

“So we’re always with you,” she told him, keeping her eyes on his finery, “Close to your heart.”

Takashi embraced her tightly, resting his head atop of her ginger waves. 

“Thank you, Katie,” he told her quietly, “It’s perfect. I’ll treasure it forever.” He squeezed her tighter, smiling at her squeak. 

“I’m really going to miss you.”

“It’s not going to be forever,” she reassured him. “Besides, there’s actually…”

Whatever Katie had been about to say suddenly didn’t matter as the room suddenly plunged in darkness before becoming awash in a sickly pale violet, the murmurings in the room sounding quite sinister. The children grew stiff in their embrace as they eyed the abrupt and eerie changes. They didn’t like it, they didn’t like it one bit. Takashi shifted so Katie was now standing behind him, one arm out to hold her back. Sometimes she was like Keith, all too eager to go charging toward the strange and dangerous.

The crown prince’s eyes widened in alarm.  _ Keith _ .

Carefully, Takashi began to edge Katie and himself back toward where he had last seen his younger brother. He didn’t even have to explain Katie his plan, it seemed that the girl was worrying about the younger boy too. Within a long, tense minute, the three were reunited. 

“Stay with me and stay quiet,” Takashi commanded the other two in a low voice. 

“No sudden movements and just to be safe, don’t look at anyone who is an adult in the eye.” The two nodded their agreement to obey. 

“I saw Allura and Uncle Alfor not too far from here. We’ll find them first before finding the Emperor and Empress. Then we’ll find Katie’s family, okay?”

He winced at Katie’s alarmed gasp, but knew he couldn’t blame her. Mister and Missus Holt along with Matthew had exited the ballroom hours ago to join the party the other palace workers were having and unfortunately that was being held in another wing. It was probably frightening to Katie to be so far away from her family in was looking to be a dire time. Reaching back, Takashi squeezed her hand. 

“Don’t worry, Katie…they’re not here. I’m sure they’re sa—”

The prince’s words were swallowed by sinister laughter that sounded near thunderous as it rang throughout the ballroom. The crowds quickly parted to reveal a large, hulking figure enshrouded in a deep crimson cloak, the pallor of the skin so pale a grey it almost looked purple. The eyes however, were this person’s most frightening asset. Golden eyes that seemed to glow in the darkened room. And yet despite the first glance that would tell any other person that this figure was a stranger, the children immediately knew who this was; icy fingers of fear trailing slowly down their spines. 

“Zarkon,” Takashi found himself whispering, almost surprised by the steadiness in his voice. He squeezed Katie’s hand harder as he felt her begin to tremble at the sight of her former abuser. Reaching back, he grabbed Keith’s hand as well and almost jumped in place when he noticed just how clammy his feisty sibling’s hand was. Keith’s hand was ice cold, while Katie’s palm seemed to be sweating, this little details helped Shiro focus on the people around him and not on the urge to run away.

“I’m so dreadfully sorry to have arrived so late to the ball,” the disgraced lord drawled. He bared his teeth, an ugly, crooked yellow. 

“I simply couldn’t find a thing to wear.”

The children watched as the Emperor and the Empress moved to cut off Zarkon, unlike Alfor did last time. 

“You know very well you are no longer welcome inside of these walls, Zarkon,” the Emperor intoned darkly, “Let alone within the gates of Altea itself.”

“As if we would ever welcome such a prideful, vain monster whom preys upon innocent children such as yourself!” the Empress spat, the anger on her voice making the whole room shiver in fright.

Zarkon smiled almost indulgently. 

“Ah yes, little Katherine Holt,” he cooed. “Tell me, how is the child?”

“She’ll be nowhere near you, that’s for certain,” the Emperor promised, “No child shall be, no innocent being at all! I think it’s time you take your leave of this place, Zarkon.” He made to draw his saber. “After all, I do believe my younger brother did promise your return would be on the pain of your death.”

Zarkon chuckled, a sound that turned the stomachs of many in the room. “No, Your Majesty. I believe it would be on the pain of  _ your _ deaths.”

Before the Emperor could react beyond a widening of his eyes and a gasp from his wife, Zarkon lashed out, a wave of violet lightning blasting from his palm and slamming into the royal couple, sending them flying and crashing into the floor with a sickening thud.

“MAMA!!!”

Keith’s wail was the catalyst to chaos erupting in the ballroom. Assassins descended onto the guests left and right, quickly turning things into a bloodbath. Takashi knew he should move, knew he should get Keith and Katie out of there and to safety, but he remained rooted to the spot, absolutely frozen with shock. There was no way that his parents were dead. It was simply not possible that he had just witnessed his parents’ murder. His eyes were glued to the bodies in the middle of the ballroom. It was a nightmare, it had to be. A vicious, vicious nightmare, one that Katie was eventually going to pull him from.

Katie did pull him out of it, but her yells and orders reaffirmed that it wasn’t a nightmare, but rather something they had to escape from right now. Takashi twisted around quickly in fear, afraid that Death had come for him and his friends only to realize that it was Katie whom had yanked him and was hastily towing Keith and himself out of the ballroom, a look of grim determination painted on her young face.

Katie pulled the grieving brothers down the hallways, only struggling a little with Keith who wanted to go back and take on his parent’s murderer. Takashi helped her, picking up his little brother and tucking him firmly into his arms, barely finding the strength to shush him as he dissolved into tears. He nodded to Katie to keep going. Gripping his arm, Katie led him over to a wall with a slightly discolored panel he had never noticed before. She knelt down and pushed on the panel, revealing that it was actually a door just large enough to fit a person of Takashi’s size.

“Keith and I would travel through the hidden tunnels within the palace this way,” Katie remarked quietly, “It’s how we would get to where your lessons were being held so quickly.”

Takashi was quiet, putting Keith down and having him face the tunnel. “Can you lead the way?” He asked his brother gently as he had never been through these tunnels let alone had any knowledge of their existence. Keith nodded as he sniffled, trying his hardest to be brave, crouching down next to Katie and preparing to crawl inside.

“You next,” Takashi told Katie as he planned on bringing up the rear.

To his alarm, she shook her head. “I won’t be going with you.”

“Katie, what are you talking about? Of course you are!”

“Are you crazy?!” Keith demanded. Katie frowned and shook her head. 

“I have to find my family, I need to be with them.”

Takashi tried protesting. “Katie…”

“I’ll be fine, Takashi,” she told him firmly, “Now get going.”

Still, the elder prince hesitated. With a sigh, Katie shoved him forward after Keith as she heard footsteps headed rapidly their way. 

“There’s no time for me, Takashi! Now go, please!”

Turning, Takashi caught her hands, holding them tightly. “We will find you, Katie,” he swore fiercely. Katie swallowed her tears as she gave him a watery smile. 

“I know. I love you both.” She then pushed Takashi firmly into the tunnel, sealing it behind him.

Neither child had noticed that Takashi had dropped his music box.

**____________________________________________________________________________________**

With a shuddering breath, Takashi crawled after his brother. It was dark, musty and Takashi swore he could hear his pounding heartbeat echo off of the walls. After what seemed like being on his hands and knees for hours, Takashi finally saw Keith head toward a sliver of light. With a hard yank, Keith opened another wall and hauled himself and his big brother out into the open. As he glanced around, Takashi noticed that Keith had led them outside of the palace.

Keith gasped and pointed. 

“Look! It’s Allura and her uncle, Coran!” Viscount Coran was Allura’s uncle on her late mother’s side. The man vibrant in both color and oft in personality was pulling his beloved niece past the palace gates. The boys heard the sound of a train whistle echo through the chilly night. 

“Do you think they’re leaving the capital?” Keith asked.

“Maybe,” Takashi replied with slight uncertainty. “Where’s Uncle Alfor?”

“I don’t know,” Keith admitted. “Maybe he ran ahead to help out others?”

Takashi shrugged, but kept his doubts to himself. 

“Let’s see if we can catch up!” Snatching up his brother, the older Shirogane prince gave chase, running as fast as he could after his fleeing family members all the while praying that Katie and the Holts would make it out of the palace safely and would one day reunite with the remaining royal family members.

Takashi felt a jolt of panic rock his insides as he noticed the train was overcrowded and departing. He had no idea when the next one would arrive if at all, while his brain unhelpfully recalled that people could be dangerous and irrational during times of mass panic. There could be a good chance some of these people would rather turn his brother and himself into sacrificial lambs to the slaughterer that is Zarkon.

“Takashi! Keith!” The princes’ gazes snapped over to where Allura was waving them over from her spot on the fast moving train, her light blue eyes large with fear. Putting on a burst of speed, Takashi caught up to the train, holding Keith up for Allura to take.

“You next lad,” Coran encouraged as he reached for Takashi, the fatherly tone in the man’s voice made the prince want to burst into tears.

Just as Takashi was placing his hand in Coran’s, he slipped on a patch of black ice. With a scream, he fell away from the ever fleeing train, hitting his head hard on the cold cold ground.

Screams echoed as everything faded to darkness.

**________________________________________________________________________________**

In a small, overcrowded orphanage nearly ten miles away from the fallen Imperial City of Altea, a young man of twenty-two years named Shiro bolted awake from what seemed like a gripping nightmare. Yet as he tried to recall it, the images faded faster than water seeping from his fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls review ^^


	3. Once Upon a December

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Far away, long ago  
> Glowing dim as an ember  
> Things my heart used to know  
> Things it yearns to remember
> 
> And a song someone sings  
> Once upon a December...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to update like a week ago, but I forgot... ALSO REPUTATION IS OUT AND THAT ALBUM IS AMAZING. Anyway, we both hope you enjoy this chapter, thank you all for your support ^^
> 
> (Shiro is now

Shiro was panting, his forehead drenched in sweat. His breaths were heavy and quick and his eyes were fluttering. His hands were clenching and unclenching… it was too warm, too noisy it was getting hard to breathe and-

Shiro snapped his eyes opened, taking a deep breath as if he just came out from being hours underwater. His eyes scanned the area around him, carefully inspecting the room. His room was small, not even his own room. There were children all around him, fast asleep. He let out a shiver, calming down once he saw all the familiar faces. The dream was always just that... a dream. But sometimes it felt like they were memories, something so familiar and close yet unable to get a grasp on. Shiro could not get them back as much as he tried to. 

Shiro tried to calm himself by looking at his surroundings. He was safe in the orphanage. Has been for the past years… He wasn’t quite sure how he ended up here, since he had no memory from when he was little, and the people who took him had no clue either. He only woke up one day with people taking after him, holding sadness and pity in their eyes. He also woke up with a prosthetic way too advanced (and expensive) for anything surrounding him. The orphanage accepted him as much as they could, but sometimes their attempts came short. 

The orphanage can only take care after so many children after all, and well, Shiro (as they called him because of the necklace that hung in his chest that ahd that named carved into it), was no longer  a priority since he grew up. Shiro understood this, the kids here had no families, no one to feed them, or provide for them. They deserved a family, or at least a place to take care of them.

Shiro… Shiro somehow understood that he didn’t belong in the orphanage, (even as the little kids tried to convince him that he was a part of it as much as they were). Unlike these poor children, who have suffered and yet were full of hope, Shiro had something inside him that pointed him to a real home. 

Or well, he had a necklace. (And a prosthetic arm, but that really offered no help at all, only served to confuse him more.)

It was a golden necklace with three names. He didn’t remember where he got it, who gave it to him, but the way his heart speeds up everytime he touches it reminds that whoever gave it to him must have loved him. It was well taken care of, not a single scratch. And the lettering was so careful handcrafted… plus the gold must have been expensive. Shiro had no doubt that this person was a big part of his life. 

_ Keith. _

That name was engraved on it, and while Shiro did not remember a face to go with it, he could fill the fondness surrounding the word. It was the feeling that came with it that made Shiro sad, because whoever this person was was part of his life… a life he couldn't seem to get back to. The name held fire and confidence, and Shiro sometimes wondered if he was close to that person, or how that person acted or why their name stayed with him. 

_ Katie. _

That was the other name. His heart seemed to love it, if the speed of its beats was anything to go by. Katie was an important part of his life…. if only he could remember why. Katie seemed like a complicated subject, his mind seemed to struggle to remember her but his heart was fully aware of who she was. 

He snapped out of his thoughts as he heard a bell ring. Oh right, it was time to wake up and go to the factory to work. The bell rang for a couple more minutes before everyone had woken up. 

He stood up from the small mat he slept in, one that was now too small for his large body, and grabbed the coat that was nearby. He rapidly put it on, the dust falling from it making him cough and sneeze. (It wasn’t like he had enough money to buy himself a new one… just a couple of patches to fix the holes that he made on this one.) Shiro rubbed his hands together as he felt the cold air swivel and throw daggers at his skin. He made his way downstairs, greeting the caretakers and the little kids that started to eat their breakfast. It was winter, and they were all wearing heavy winter coats, hats covering half their faces, and some scarves that seemed to wrap around their whole body.

He shivered in cold as he began to make his way out of the orphanage, his mouth going in awe as he saw some kids playing in the snow with smiling faces… how were they not cold? There were also the kind ladies who kept yelling at them to put some hats on, or to put a jacket at least. Not one of them paid much attention to him.

He braced himself as he began to walk away, one of his hands unconsciously fidgeting with the necklace, rubbing the object.he waved at some kids as he passed by, his boots digging into the snow.

As he walked by, he hummed a tune.

‘Heart don’t fail me now, courage don’t desert me’…it was an old song used as an odd lullaby of sorts to soothe the surly little boy Shiro had once been not too long after waking up in the orphanage with no memories and the majority of his right arm missing. Madam Rhyner had sung it to him not only when he would awaken from nightmares in both physical and emotional pain, but as a means of encouraging Shiro when it came to using his mechanical arm; and again when returning to the factory three days after one of the machines went horribly rouge, viciously slicing across his face when he had been unable to duck in time, leaving him with a large, crooked scar across his nose.

An odd smile twisted Shiro’s lips. Not quite bitter and not really amused, but somewhere in the middle. At first, Shiro had loathed the song with all of his being. Oh certainly, the words were kind and hopeful while the tune was pretty, but for some reason, he just couldn’t stand the song. He felt like a cat being rubbed the wrong way, like a rash that would not stop plaguing his skin. It just felt wrong, wrong, wrong. Like he was used to hearing another song and to have this one replace what his heart was used to, just outraged him.

He stopped once he saw a fork in the road, one of the signs pointing towards the factory he always repeatedly went to, and another one pointing towards Imperial City.

Imperial City…

There was something about the name of the place that sent a phantom ache to his heart, like he was meant to go there. Perhaps it would have the answers he sought. The wind began to pick up, blowing ever more harshly in his face, and there were now snowflakes beginning to fall. The trees were rustling, almost as if they were calling upon him.  Shiro took a deep breath as he stared at the second sign.

_ Heart don’t fail me now. _

Perhaps there was something to Madam Rhyner’s song after all, Shiro thought as he took a step toward that path, his boots confidently making his way down that trail. His heartbeat was racing, though from the cold or excitement he did not know.

_ Courage don’t desert me. _

He had nothing to hold him back, the orphanage was merely a place to stay. But now he was older and he was seeking answers and adventure. He wanted to experience life beyond the small town he knew, beyond the old orphanage and the dusty factory. There were surely new things awaiting him… Shiro glanced down at the key that hung around his neck, gripping it tightly with one of his hands. He chuckled slightly at the irony, perhaps this very key would be what unlocked the puzzle pieces of his past.

Shiro trudged down the snow covered hill, his steps confident and a faint smile on his face. But of course it couldn't be as easy as a nice stroll to Imperial City… The wind began to grow harsher by the minute, and the snow seemed to be spitting in his face, nearly blinding him. The fierce cold of the air made Shiro want to recoil.

The snow storm was upon him almost immediately, the winter elements nearly pummeling him as he was forced into a bent over position as he desperately tried to remain upright. Shiro began to frantically look around, hoping for a shelter to keep him from freezing to death. He had to keep moving at the very least. He spotted a worn out building in the distance, and with the strength he could muster, he began to drag his feet over the snow and towards it, hoping not to come across any hidden patches of ice in his path.  As he drew closer, Shiro realized that this building was the remnants of a palace. It was abandoned, that much he could tell.

With near frozen fingers, Shiro pulled hard at the wooden planks covering the door. Once two were ripped free, Shiro stumbled into the palace. As he stood on the cracked marble floor, shivering as he tried to think  of how to get warm, Shiro’s eyes roamed the room, eager and curious. There was no sign of someone living there, and everything was broken or ruined, filled with dust or spider webs.

But there had once been life, that much he could tell as he stared up at the huge chandelier that seemed to be sparkling in spite of being covered in dust, the paintings that depicted fancy dances and people. Shiro felt himself remember something, just an inkling. But before he could place his finger on what the memory was exactly, he passed out from the cold.

* * *

 

_ Someone holds me safe and warm… _

Shiro heard a sweet voice singing this song… and then his own voice joining whoever this girl was. The ballroom was filled with figures dancing gracefully, but there was a faint memory of him waiting for someone in specific. There were the chatters of people talking, clinking of wine glasses, and the thumps of heels in the dance floor. They were all bathed in gold and moonlight.

He saw a smaller figure trailing after him, though the face wasn’t clear. It was obvious that whoever this kid was liked him, liked Shiro… The kid was enthusiastic, and he said something about a sword...The ballroom was still filled with people, but this time the girl was here. A girl who Shiro seemed to know and be fond of. Shiro stirred in his sleep, clutching tightly his necklace.

_ Things it yearns to remember… _

Shiro rolled around in his sleep, his eyebrows furrowing and his face making grimaces. The song was there in the back of his mind, this dream (or was it a memory?) was haunting him, taunting him, begging him to remember it. 

_ And a song someone sings…  _

There were some voices now… The girl’s voice was more like an echo, as if he was hearing it from another room. There was comfort that came with the song, and though the words were like incomprehensible mumbles, Shiro felt the song touch his heart… There were now new voices, loud and gentle, and one that was questioning... but the voices weren’t the same as the ones from his dream, but rather close and nearby and-

“Is he dead?”

Shiro snapped his eyes open, making one person yelp and step backwards. His breath was heavy and he had to do a double-take to remember he was in an abandoned palace., not the orphanage. Shiro sat up, awakened by whoever these people were… There were 3 of them. He rapidly glanced to each of them, trying to see if they were any danger. By the looks of curiosity and shock they were giving him, they weren’t any threat. He continued to eye all of them his eyes topping in the last member of this trio but when he met her eyes he stopped, his breath cut short.

This girl had haunting amber eyes. 

_ Once upon a december. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> review pls ~


	4. One Step at A time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro got lost when he was a kid... but what about Katie Holt? What became of her that frightful night in the palace?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly I suck at updating cause we have it all ready to go but i keep forgetting to post the chapter.... anyway, i hope you guys enjoy this chapter and you guys had a nice time with the holidays!
> 
> (also the spanish you see here is provided by yours truly, who (before any of you fight me) is mexican and fluent in the language. Any coloquial language or slangs used are mexican or things that I grew up hearing!)

In the ten years since she had lost everyone and everything in her world, Katie decided that in order to deal with her grief and in an effort to keep living on somehow, she should say goodbye to herself. Gradually over the first three years, Katie Holt became Pidge Gunderson; relying on an old nickname Matt had bestowed upon her for a reason Katie had never really known, she became someone who threw herself into her work and hardly bothered with human companionship. Machines became her joy, her life. It was difficult to get by however; not everyone in the villages beyond the capital wanted a woman to work on their machines, still very much under the impression that the fairer sex would be incapable of comprehending the complexity of their precious machinery.

Even when Pidge would prove them wrong however, fixing whatever appliance that was broken, improving upon them at times, the door was still slammed in her face of her eyes so much as gleamed with a little too much pride. Sometimes she was even struck in the face in a so-called effort to wipe the smug look from her face. In fact, Pidge now had a scar on her full lower lip from it being split open so many times.

Really, the male ego was frightfully delicate.

The male libido was also frightening…in a much more real way.

Pidge was leered at quite often and not merely by men she either passed by on the streets or in taverns whenever she could scrape together enough for a meal. Married men tried making a move on her as well and she quickly realized that for several of her customers, their “broken” machines just happened to be located in their bedrooms. Pidge had shattered her first nose not too long after the first attempt after her innocence. Pidge had felt a grim satisfaction upon executing the action, but she fled immediately after; fearing for her virtue, her life, and for her sanity.

She was a  _ child _ …well, she was twelve at this point and if Pidge was honest with herself, this was when girls were considered for marriage provided their dowries were large enough or if their families were well-connected. If Katie didn’t have the parents she’d had, who cared more about her education and growth as a person, she more than likely would have started being paraded around for bridal prospects. Still, for men to try to get after her for their baser desires…it was abhorrent.

In an attempt to make her less of an enticement, Pidge changed the way she looked. She hacked off most of her hair so it fell to her shoulders, wore pants and shirts in favor of dresses and made certain to look as dirty and inelegant as possible—not that she was ever very elegant to begin with, admittedly. The last part was the glasses. She no longer wore the pair she had worn as Katie. Instead the spectacles sitting upon her small, freckled nose once belonged to Matt. They were a spare pair she had once stolen when life was still bright. She hadn’t dared to remove the ones he wore the night he…her heart always bottomed out at those thoughts and hot, fresh tears flooded her eyes.

The change in her appearance worked for the most part…but every once in awhile she was still harassed by a man who wanted her for physical pleasures that she had no desire to take part in. She _ was _ armed. It was a dagger she had snatched from Keith’s room and slipped into her sleeve before any looters could notice her. She didn’t use it often, it was more of a bittersweet source of comfort over anything else, but once in awhile she did whip it out whenever she feared for her life, though she kept the gilded handle completely concealed by wrapping tight, dirty rags around it so it wouldn’t become an object of keen interest.

Over time, though she was loath to admit it at first, Pidge found that she was quite lonely. Perhaps she couldn’t completely stay away from the presence of other humans when she wasn’t working like she had first adamantly believed. In the middle of one winter, perhaps during the fourth year after the fall of Altea, Pidge met Lance. 

She had been walking back toward her little make-shift workshop and house, a conglomeration of wood, brick and randomly sized sheets of metal held together by mostly prayers and sheer willpower. Muttering angrily as she stepped through the snow drifts because  _ once again, _ she had been denied payment for being a “sassy, smart mouthed little girl who could benefit from missing a meal because it would make her focus on being less of an imp.” She thought all the time. Between the nightmares and the memories and planning all kinds of creations; Pidge practically did nothing but think.

Well, whatever. She had been denied food before, this was nothing new. No princes would come to her rescue this time however…

Pidge shook her head hard. No. There was no time for such memories. No time to deal with tears and misery. Not in this icy weather and all she wanted was the warmth of her house. Rounding the corner, Pidge heard a voice singing. It was high, silver and oh so sad. Of course she would end up tripping over the legs belonging to the voice. Pidge let out a small shriek as she came dangerously close to crashing onto the ground. Abruptly the singing stopped as the owner of the legs she tripped over sprang up and immediately steadied her, spouting apologies in a thick Spanish accent.

“I-it’s okay,” Pidge managed as she regained her balance. She quickly realized she was speaking to a chest and raised her gaze to meet wild, panicked blue eyes belonging to a teenage boy perhaps not that much older than her. Keeping her voice as soothing as she possibly could, Pidge told him, “it’s alright. I tripped, but I’m fine. It’s no big concern.”

“You’re sure?” Her savior asked in a voice that was cracked with nerves.

Pidge managed to infuse some warmth into a small grin despite the wariness that she felt. It was beginning to feel like this boy had been abused in the past for simple mistakes. “I’m sure,” she confirmed with a nod. “I’m fine.”

Taking a step back, Pidge scrutinized the boy with a quick look. Her smile faded as she allowed her concern to show. He had a tall frame that was far too thin that shook from the cold. His jacket was riddled with more holes than patches while his trousers appeared to be way too short for his russet legs. “Please tell me you weren’t actually sitting out here with your legs lying in the snow like that.”

Of course he was as his sheepish smile gave him away. “Right then,” Pidge decided. “You’re coming home with me.” Her tone brooked no room for an argument.

He did try to argue however. “What?!” He squeaked. “Oh no. No no no no…I-I couldn’t…I’d be a burden to your family!”

Pidge, who had already begun towing the boy back to her place—she should probably have asked for his name first—froze. She subtly tightened her grasp around his hand, though it was more of a way of grounding herself in calm rather than a show of anger.  After a minute, she finally replied, “nope, just me.”

“Oh…” the boy answered and Pidge couldn’t quite shake the guilt she felt settling into her stomach at the disappointment in his voice. It was clear that he craved a family and probably just as deeply as she did, she just couldn’t provide him with one. Sighing, Pidge pushed aside her sadness and kept marching forward until she reached her house, shoving the door open and planting the boy in front of her little stove that kept a merry fire going with logs made of metal that contained flammable fluids all kept on a timer so it would never burn out at an inconvenient time or get too hot and burn down her workshop.

It was a workshop…it was a house…Pidge doubted she would ever call it home.

The boy practically collapsed in front of the stove, sighing loudly and happily as he held up his hands to the warmth. “Thank you, thank you so much!”

Pidge bit back a chuckle as she shut the door and began to bustle about, gathering up blankets as she went. She picked up three, wrapping two of them around his shoulders and draping the third over his legs. He immediately snuggled into them and when he looked at her gratefully, she saw that his light blue eyes were much brighter causing her to feel a bit warmer. 

“It’s nothing,” she deflected as she walked to her tiny kitchen. “I’ll see what I can find for food,” she called over her shoulder. “It won’t be anything grand. I don’t get paid often for my work.”

“What? Why not?”

Pidge snorted. “Because I’m a girl.”

The boy gasped loudly, his eyes widening as he put a hand to his chest, though Pidge could see none of this. “Whaaat? You are?!”

Pidge burst out laughing. “Oh good. You can be sarcastic. We’re going to get along fine.” She grinned wider when she heard the boy giggle in return. “By the way, do you have a name?”

“Sure do!” Then his voice turned sly. “Do you want to know what it is?”

“Well, I see we’ve thawed out your personality,” Pidge deadpanned. “A name would be helpful, if you don’t mind.”

The boy leaped to his feet and bowed grandly, wisely making a sweeping motion with the side of the blanket that wasn’t facing the stove. 

“My name is Lance McClain, my lady and you are?”Pidge huffed out another laugh. 

“Oh, I’m no lady,” she brushed off, “But my name is Pidge Gunderson.” 

She turned back to assessing what little food she had. A small loaf of bread and a wedge of cheese both dangerously close to molding. There was also an apple and orange that was a little withered, but this would all have to do. At least she had clean water. Stifling a sigh, Pidge arranged all of the food on one of her least chipped plates and filled two cups with water, placing all of her dishes on a wooden tray. She took the tray over to Lance. 

“It’s not much,” she admitted, more to the piteous meal than to Lance. “But it’s all I’ve got.”

“I can’t eat all of your food!” he cried, alarmed that she would make such a sacrifice.

Pidge shrugged. “You’re not. We’re sharing.”

“But you said you don’t have much money,” Lance pointed out. “And I’m afraid I don’t have any to pay you back with.”

“I said I don’t have much money,” she agreed. “I didn’t say that I didn’t have any. Besides, I have a client who needs my help tomorrow and I know she pays fairly. We’ll be fine.”

“We?”

“You didn’t think I was going to let you back into the cold now, did you?” Pidge asked, actually looking at Lance.

“W-well…I can’t stay…I’d be imposing!” Lance protested.

“Do you have any sort of skill aside from singing?”

Lance shrugged, his cheeks reddening as he looked anywhere but at her. 

“I can sew,” he said quietly.

“So that’s something,” Pidge encouraged. She looked at his legs and asked with a smirk, “Did you practice with materials from your own clothes?”

Lance stuck out his tongue at her. “No, I went through a sudden growth spurt.” He finally reached for the apple and began to nibble on it.

“Lucky,” Pidge sighed as she once again internally cursed her short limbs. She looked around her workshop. 

“I think I have some bits of cloth you can use to sew together. Make some quilts, curtains…shirts…” she shrugged again. “Whatever you like. I can also set aside some money for you to have newer material.” Seeing that Lance was about to fight her again, Pidge cut him off. 

“Until you make your own money, that is. Then you can buy your own materials and maybe some food once in awhile, deal?”

“Deal,” Lance replied with a firm nod. He put down his half-eaten apple, hesitated for a minute and then asked, “C-can I hug you?”

Pidge, whom had been taking a sip of her water, carefully swallowed so as to not choke. It had been a long time since she had hugged anyone, always making certain to project some kind of fierceness as a front, a silent way of snapping, “Keep away from me!” And here was Lance, easily knocking down those walls as she found herself answering, “Sure, I’d like that.”

Lance hugged her and Pidge nearly cried at the tight embrace, hearing and feeling his sigh of relief as he was able to hug someone and she wriggled her arms free to hug him back. Oh, they were both so ridiculously lonely. Lance had to stay. He would never be another Matt…or another Keith. She highly doubted that he could fill the void in her heart left by Takashi. But he would be Lance and as far as she was concerned, Lance was enough.

They pulled away and finished their small meal. While Pidge was washing the few dishes that they used, Lance was wandering idly around her workshop, gently poking and lifting creations of hers that he was fairly certain wouldn’t break under her touch, murmuring to himself as he went. He reached a small, hexagonal box that was silver and mirrored. Lifting it, he noted that it had a bit of weight to it and twinkled ever so slightly as he cupped the box with both hands. 

 

“This is pretty,” he called out to Pidge.

Pausing in her washing, Pidge turned to look at what her new friend was talking about. Her eyes widened and she gave a squeak of alarm as she suddenly dropped the plate she had been scrubbing and darted over to him, gently taking the box out of his hands, placing it almost reverently back onto the shelf he had been exploring. “Don’t touch this one, please.”

“I guess it’s really special?” Lance asked sheepishly.

Pidge exhaled heavily as she did her best to keep her tears at bay. “Yeah, it’s really precious to me.”

“I heard it make a sound,” Lance began tentatively. “Is it a music box?”

Pidge nodded as she finally spun around to look at him. “Mhm. It is indeed a music box. But it needs a key and I don’t have it,” her voice grew quiet. “It was lost years ago.”

She could have made another key sure. Easily, in fact. But what interest did Pidge have in listening to her own voice? She heard herself all the time as she talked aloud, muttering as she worked and tinkered. As for the queen’s song…it was not her song to listen to. She had no right. 

“It’s not even mine,” she finally confessed. “Not really. I had made it for a friend of mine a little over four years ago.” Her voice grew thick with tears. “He died not long after receiving it.”

Actually, Pidge wasn’t really even one hundred percent certain that Takashi had indeed died. She learned that Keith managed to escape that horrible, horrible night. But Takashi’s status was truly unofficial as to whether or not he was alive or not. Rumors flew about Altea left and right that the elder prince was indeed alive; there was just no concrete knowledge as to  _ where _ he was. And honestly there was no concrete conclusion that Takashi was alive.

For some reason, the pain would fester even more in Pidge’s heart to know that he was alive out there somewhere. If he was, how could she possibly find and face him? For years until this day she’d always blamed herself for the ruin of the Imperial City and all of those lives lost. How she’d managed to survive that night, she hadn’t a clue; but apparently someone somewhere was looking out for her and she always fervently wished that they had been looking out for someone else.

It was easier to think that Takashi was dead.

“I’m sorry,” Lance whispered, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder and Pidge gave him a weak smile.

“It’s in the past,” she replied. “Please don’t ask me how he died. I’m not ready to talk about it.”

“Okay,” Lance agreed. He looked about him for a way to change the subject when his eyes alighted upon a pile of scrap fabric of varying sizes, mostly green, blue, and purple in color. 

“Can I use this for my first project to start making my own money?”

Pidge leaned around him and subtly wiped at her eyes, looking at what Lance had found and grinned. “Sure! What do you think you could make with it?”

Lance stepped away from her and moved toward the fabric; picking up the pieces and carefully assessing their quality. A few had some stains and holes, but they were still workable. Pidge had a fairly sizeable pile for him to work with. 

 

“I think I can make a couple of kids’ blankets out of this,” he finally said. He poked at a hole, “my mom actually taught me how to sew flowers and vines, so I can make this look a little nicer.”

Pidge looked at him curiously. “It’s extremely rare to hear about a boy learning to sew. Did your mom not have daughters or did she hope that you would become a doctor and this was to help you closing wounds after surgery?”

Lance grinned, slight mischief entering his bright blue eyes. 

 

“Oh, I have sisters alright,” he told her. “I have five. I also have three brothers,” Lance added with a widening grin. But Pidge’s expression failed to deliver the shock he had been hoping for. She would have surely produced such an expression had her mind not snagged on a word Lance had used twice. Have. He’d said, ‘I have sisters’ and ‘I have brothers’. That was in the present tense. Why had he been found on the street then? Did he get in trouble at home and run away? Was it too overcrowded in his house and he was forced to find his own way to help support his family?

She wasn’t entirely certain if she should dismiss the latter notion while the former was easily disregarded. She remembered the disappointment in his voice when she had informed him that there was no family awaiting her at her house; and the tightness in his embrace that bled of his loneliness.

Lance seemed to catch on to the fact that her mind was working overtime with possibilities and offered her a wry grin. “Let’s not discuss my tragic backstory just yet, okay?”

“Okay,” Pidge agreed. Fair was only fair after all. She surprised herself with a large yawn that she hastened to cover, amber eyes darting to the window and noting the darkness that blanketed the sky. “Wow, I can’t believe how late it is already.”

“It was sunset when we met,” Lance pointed out.

“It was?” Pidge asked in slight shock. She then blushed. “I don’t always pay much attention to the time.”

“I can keep an eye out on the time for you,” Lance offered. “When you get really dedicated to a project, that is.”

“Thanks,” Pidge replied gratefully. She then looked about her house, trying to think of what to do for a bed for Lance. Hers was definitely not wide enough for two people and he was so much taller than her, she doubted his thin, lanky body would even fit the length.

Luckily for her, Lance had already moved toward her couch which did seem like it would fit his growing body and started clearing it free of her tools, sketchbooks and materials. 

“I can sleep here!” He declared.

Pidge hesitated, feeling bad that she didn’t have anything better to offer her new friend. “Are you sure?”

“Yup!” Lance replied cheerily, flopping out onto the couch. He let out a loud, happy sigh when he landed, stretching his muscles contentedly. “This is really comfy, Pidge.” He looked at her. “Are you sure you don’t want to sleep here instead?”

“Well, I have fallen asleep there several times before,” she easily admitted. “But I think if I gave you my bed, not one of your limbs would fit there entirely even if you curled up.”

Lance sat up and looked to where she was pointing at her bed. He laughed at its size. “Yup, you’d be right about that, Pidge.” He flopped back down onto the couch, grabbing a blanket and snuggled into the cushions. “G’night!”

Smiling and shaking her head slightly at his antics, Pidge whispered a “good night” and headed for her own bed, falling asleep almost immediately, the day’s tensions seeping from her muscles.

It was a mere three hours later that Pidge learned that Lance suffered from terrible nightmares just as she did.

As she groggily opened her eyes and looked about her, she first she thought the screams were a part of her own subconscious. Then she quickly realized that she didn’t scream in Spanish. Fully alert, Pidge leaped from her bed and darted over to where Lance was sleeping, looking on in dismay as he thrashed and writhed in agony, his sweaty face tight with grief. “ _ Mama…” _ he moaned.  _ “Papa! Papa por favor! Esperame! Esperame! Ya voy!”  _ Pidge swore her heart split in two when he whispered the last part.  _ “Don’t leave me…” _

Taking a breath, Pidge carefully reached for Lance’s hand and gently squeezed it. She wracked her memory for what little Spanish she gleaned from some of the palace staff _. “Lance…Lance…Necesito tu despertar, okay?” _

_ “Mama…”  _ Lance whimpered and Pidge winced.

_ “It’s Pidge, Lance. You’re here in Altea, you’re living in my little house, remember? You liked the couch? The bed is way too small for you.” _

_ “The bed is way too small for…”  _ Lance began to parrot, then something must’ve clicked in his brain because he slowly opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling for a minute before looking over at Pidge.

She gave him a weak smile and gently squeezed his hand. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he rasped.

She helped him sit up, wrapping his blanket more tightly around his shoulders before moving away. “I’m going to get you a glass of water. You’re probably dehydrated.”

Lance nodded, not looking at her.

She was in and out of the kitchen in less than a minute, carrying a full cup of cold water. She handed it to Lance who took it and downed more than half of it with greedy gulps. Pidge sat down next to Lance. She took his hand in hers once again and used her thumb to stroke the back of his knuckles in a slow rhythm. It was a technique her own mother had used when either she or Matt would become overly excited or hysterical about something. She waited for his breathing to regulate and for his sniffles to lessen before speaking.

 

“So, is it tragic backstory time?” Lance hung his head and sighed loudly, rubbing his eyes. 

 

“Yeah, I guess so.” He hummed for a minute, wondering where to begin. 

 

“Well, I am not from Altea,” he finally said. “I’m from Spain. My family and I were here on an extended vacation visiting some relatives. Aunts, uncles, and cousins.” He managed to crack a grin, “There were so many of us, we were spread out all over the place. I think we took up at least five houses, maybe six.” He took a breath, continuing.

 

“It was so loud and colorful and exciting nearly every single day. Then…the siege happened. We were actually at one of the village celebrations; an open air event. I don’t think I’ve seen so many stalls in one place, even at home. And there was so much food! But still I wondered if it would be enough for everyone. Music had filled the air and nearly every villager was dancing.” Lance grew sober. 

 

“Then the palace was under attack and Lord Zarkon’s subordinates invaded the villages, just attacking and killing senselessly. My family ran, trying to find a boat that could take them at least out of Altea before finding a way to get back to Spain. One of my little sisters had tripped that night, and I remember picking her up and getting her out of the way of the stampede. My father came and grabbed my sister, taking my hand.

“All seemed to be well, I was so sure we’d make it out of there…but the panic got worse and the crowds surged, separating me from my family. I called and I called for them…but they were too far away to hear me and I’ve been stuck here ever since without any sort of way for getting back.”

Pidge was frowning and when she spoke; her voice was thick with tears. 

“But didn’t you say you were visiting a lot of family? Surely someone would have found you.”

Lance grimaced. “Whoever didn’t escape died that night…and if they survived…” he shrugged. “They didn’t want anything to do with me.”

“Seriously?” Pidge whispered, her heart breaking for the boy sitting next to her.

Lance slumped. “Yeah.”

Pidge couldn’t help it. She burst into tears. “I’m sorry, Lance,” she cried, burying her face into her hands. “I’m so so sorry!”

Startled at Pidge’s outburst, Lance pulled her to him on reflex. “What’re you sorry for?”

She shook with sobs. “It’s all my fault,” she choked. He frowned at her words. 

“What’s your fault? My family separating? The siege?” He scoffed. She was being a bit dramatic in his opinion. “Yeah right, Pidge.”

“It’s true!” she cried wildly. “I-if wasn’t for me, your family would be whole and you’d be at home with them. If it wasn’t for me, Altea wouldn’t be suffering!” Her breath hitched, catching in her throat, and suddenly she was having a hard time breathing.

Lance’s eyes widened in alarm; quickly realizing that Pidge was having a panic attack. 

“Pidge!” He cried, “Hey! Hey, it’s okay, Pidge! It’s okay!” He caught her shoulders and gently swung her to look at him. “Eyes on me, Pidge,” he instructed in as calm a voice as he could muster. When she obeyed, he continued, “It’s okay…well, maybe not really…but it will be! You just gotta breathe right now, okay? Can you do that for me, Pidge? Take a nice, deep breath.”

Pidge struggled to obey, the air not wanting to get out of her throat. She tried again and again; concentrating hard until her breathing matched Lance’s who let out a sigh of relief when she managed to conquer her panic attack. He pulled her into another hug and stroked her short hair. After a moment he finally asked, “I guess it’s time for you to tell your tragic backstory?”

She nodded and pulled away, shifting to face the window in the farthest wall. She stared out at the surprisingly clear night for a long moment before finally speaking. 

“My name isn’t Pidge,” she said, her voice carrying years of exhaustion. “That’s just a nickname from my brother. My real name is Katherine Holt. My friends and family called me Katie and I used to live in the palace.”

Lance sucked in a breath at that, in slight awe that Pidge used to live in the palace. It also meant that she was right in the line of fire during the siege. He wondered what miracle it was that helped her survive. Still, he said nothing. This was Pidge’s story to tell and he’d do his best not to interrupt.

“My parents were two of the palace’s best architects and engineers,” Pidge began. “My older brother Matt and I helped them practically all the time and if we weren’t needed because a project has too many dangerous aspects; we would either be left to our own devices to create or go play. It was kind of a routine life, but it was still exciting and great. But then I did something stupid.”

Pidge sighed loudly before allowing her body to slump completely in total defeat. Lance waited patiently for her to continue. “I befriended the Princes Takashi and Keith.”

Despite his silent vow to not say anything, Lance couldn’t help the loud gasp that escaped him. 

“You befriended the princes?!” He asked incredulously. “H-how? How did you get to be that lucky?  _ Oh my goodness, you met the princes. _ What were they like?”

A weak chuckle fell from Pidge’s lips. 

“They were the best friends a person could ever hope to have. They were feisty and adventurous dreamers who wanted to do the very best they could for Altea. As for how I met them…” Another, slightly more genuine laugh came from Pidge, “It was an accident, really. The princes could be very competitive with one another when it came to games and hide and seek was one of the most competitive.

“Prince Keith had been trying to outrun his brother when he stumbled down a staircase. I happened to be on that particular staircase returning from an errand for my mom. I tried getting out of Prince Keith’s way, but he still knocked me down anyway. Prince Takashi helped me up and once he was certain we were both okay, invited me to come play with them.”

She paused for a second, and then shook her head. 

“Actually, it was Prince Keith who invited me to play with them. Prince Takashi did second the invitation though. At first, I wanted to refuse. I was a commoner child of palace staff and they were the  _ princes. _ I didn’t think we were even meant to be seen together. The princes didn’t care about the difference in status and I learned not to really care either. We had a good, strong friendship and it seemed like we would be left alone about it…” her voice grew dark.

“But then Lord Zarkon discovered my bond with the princes and he adamantly disapproved. He believed that everyone should be within their own ranks; the royalty with other royalty and the servants with the servants. No mixing of any kind.” Pidge took a deep, shaky breath. “He’d beat me often and strategically so my injuries could be easily covered by clothing. And he ensured that I missed meals. Both of the princes discovered the abuse I was enduring and got their uncle, the Grand Vizier Alfor involved. He quickly banished Zarkon and we all thought we were safe to continue living our lives the way we did.

“Needless to say we were very wrong.”

Pidge hung her head once more and whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Lance didn’t say anything for a long moment. He wasn’t angry with Pidge, he knew that for certain. When he first met her, he figured she was younger than him and when he took into consideration that the fall of the Shirogane reign was over four years ago, that meant that Pidge was definitely a child when everything went to Hell. Still, he had to know at least one thing…

“How old were you, when you met the princes?”

Pidge jumped slightly at Lance’s question. It was the last thing she was expecting to hear from him. “What?”

Lance’s expression was kind. “How old were you when you met Prince Takashi and Prince Keith?”

“I was six.” She took a breath. “I was six when I befriended a pair of princes and I was six when a noble decided that he would put me in my place.”

“Then how could you possibly think that any of this is or was your fault?” Lance asked. “You were six. A child. A little girl. The princes were little boys who found a new friend and if their parents never got upset with them for befriending you, then Lord Zarkon should have kept his nose out of matters. He was banished for hurting a child and for thinking himself above his station. Above humanity, really.”

Lance wrapped an arm around Pidge’s shoulders, resting his head atop of hers. 

“If it makes you feel any better at all, I remember my abuela telling us that he was a no good pig and that lots of people, both nobility and commoners alike despised him for years.” He nudged her gently. “So really, you were the unfortunate catalyst for this entire disaster because it’s so easy to blame a child, but it’s not your fault. I don’t blame you for anything and I hope that one day you’re able to stop blaming yourself too.”

Pidge didn’t respond at first, save for wrapping her arms around Lance in return. She squeezed him as tightly as she dared while she fought back tears. “Thanks, Lance,” she croaked.

“Anytime, Pidge.”

The pair stayed like that for a moment before Lance yawned loudly. “Oof, I dunno about you, Pidge, but I think I’m ready to try that whole sleep thing, again.”

Pidge nodded and carefully extracted herself from her friend’s side. Lance shivered without Pidge’s warmth against him and wrapped his blanket about his shoulders once more before flopping unceremoniously back onto the couch. He stared up at the ceiling. “Not sure how easy it’ll be to fall asleep after that conversation though.”

Pidge grinned. “Some bedtime stories, huh?”

He laughed. “You can say that again!”

Pidge knelt beside him and began to gently stroke his hair. Lance immediately became pliable under her touch and he sighed happily, snuggling into the couch. “How’d you know to do that?” He whispered.

“Can you keep a secret?”

“Of course.”

“Prince Takashi used to suffer from terrible nightmares,” Pidge explained as she continued her ministrations. “It wasn’t a well-known fact to many, but I knew. As often as I could, which, actually was often…I’d sneak into his room and sing him to sleep while stroking his hair just like this.”

“Can you sing me to sleep?” Lance asked sleepily. “Mi mama used to do it almost all the time.”

“Sure,” Pidge agreed before once again wracking her memory for what little Spanish she knew. She came across a snatch of a lullaby she once overheard a laundress singing to her own son. “ _ D _ _ uermete mi nino, y duermete ya, que si no te duermes… _ "

Lance couldn’t help it, he laughed. It wasn’t mean spirited, it was just…“Pidge are singing me a lullaby or are you threatening me?”

She blinked, then frowned at the question. “What do you mean?”

“The song you were singing,” Lance clarified. “It is used as a lullaby, but mostly to scare children to make them go to bed. You know, el Coco? It’s usually from other Spanish countries though. ”

Pidge scowled. “I didn’t know that!” she huffed.

“Well now you do,” Lance smirked.

Rolling her eyes, Pidge reached for an unoccupied pillow and gently whacked Lance with it. “Go to sleep!”

“Did you used to beat the prince with pillows too?” Lance asked in between cackles.

Turning from where she had been striding back to her own bed, Pidge looked back at her friend, fire in her amber eyes. “Yes.”

He didn’t need to know it was a lie, she told herself as she flung herself back onto her bed.

There were no more nightmares that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> review ^^


	5. One more member

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge met Lance, but there is still one more member left to meet. (Part 2 of Chapter 4)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delayed update!!! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Soon enough we'll hear from Keith and what happened to him. Enjoy.

As the days passed, Pidge came to learn that Lance was something of a con artist. He’d use his natural charm to full advantage as he flirted and cajoled his way into a sale. Sometimes he would just tell a bold faced lie to win a passer-by’s money; usually it was a story that threw Pidge herself under the bus as it involved his dear, sickly little sister and Lance would indeed sometimes wrap his arms around her “frail” shoulders for emphasis. Pidge would roll her eyes and shake her head after, but she never really scolded him very often for his games.

Until she caught him pickpocketing that is.

Ooh, she railed into him. It was one thing to manipulate his potential customers into becoming actual customers; that was an actual method to selling lots of professional vendors used. It was another thing for him to directly steal from someone!

“What if there actually is a sick little sister somewhere out there who needs that money for medicine?” she demanded.

Lance stopped pickpocketing after that. He still kept up his conning ways however, even offering to teach Pidge his skills. She always refused every time he asked. Then one winter Pidge was forced to discover that Lance’s “skills” were probably her best chance at survival.

Their morning routine had been ordinary. Lance was taking his turn bathing and getting ready for his part of the day while Pidge was cramming nearly every blueprint and plan she owned into a well-worn leather satchel. She was due to meet a famed merchant who wanted to take a look at her inventions seeing if it was something he could market. He claimed to desire in splitting future profits fifty-fifty, a sum Pidge was highly doubtful of, but it was at least something she could take a chance on.

As she continued to fill her satchel, Pidge’s fingers brushed something cool and metal. Looking up, she saw that she had touched the music box. Though the ache that was constantly in her heart pulsed in that moment, she felt something else too; a sudden desire to take the music box with her, to have something of her boys by her side for luck. Without really focusing on it too much, Pidge picked up the music box and carefully placed it inside her bag.

Within the hour she had bid her goodbyes to Lance and headed off toward her designated meeting spot with the merchant, a corner of the village that was strictly devoted to selling food of all kinds and that she knew would be busy at this time. When it came to striking deals, Pidge always made sure there were witnesses around, even if the local enforcement ever failed to help her.

Honeyed amber eyes roamed the area, looking for her potential partner. Though perhaps boss would be a better term; as she suspected that she would be taking a lot of direction from the gentleman. A tap on her shoulder caused her to jump in alarm as she whirled around in place. She came face to face with a boy not much taller than her, though perhaps younger, with thick unkempt red hair, a dusting of freckles across his face and wide sad brown eyes. “A-are you Pidge?” he asked in a watery, trembling voice.

Trepidation began to fill her. “That’s me,” she confirmed.

The boy’s face crumpled despite a valiant effort not to sob. “My pa’s dead,” he whispered. Immediately, she knew he spoke of the merchant she was supposed to be meeting with. “Ma said it was apoplexy…got a little too rowdy when he was having fun with his friends an’ he never really did take care of himself too well. My ma sent me here to tell you we can’t exactly take you on just yet. Not until we straighten out his final affairs. But don’t give up on us, okay?”

Pidge wouldn’t lie, the sting of delaying the chance  of getting her inventions out to Altea and perhaps the rest of the world felt brutal; but coupled with the sadness for this child who had just lost his father hours ago, made her feel acutely guilty. It was selfish of her to be concerned with monetary ventures when a father and husband had just passed away. 

Fixing a gentle smile onto her face, Pidge said, “It’s okay, I won’t forget your family. Just stick together in this tough time, all right? I know what it’s like to suffer great losses.”

The boy wiped his nose on his sleeve and offered Pidge a shaky smile in return. “We will, Pidge. An’ sorry for your own losses.” He waved her farewell and turned to head back home.

Once his back was turned, Pidge’s smile fell and she sighed deeply. She highly doubted that the merchant’s widow would remember her in the future and her message was merely a way to placate Pidge. From her own father’s stories, Pidge recalled that this would be about the time whenever characters of all sorts would come up from the woodwork looking for money. Long lost relatives and business partners whom would all claim that the late merchant owed them. She wondered how big the family he left behind was, if there was more than one child. She also wondered that if money was owed, would there be enough for them to get on or would there be one more child finding a factory to work at.

Her stomach growling, Pidge dug through her pockets and frowned at the small amount of money she came up with. Well, it would be enough for a piece of fruit or two at the very least. But it was all a matter of whether or not she should spend it. If she had Lance at her side, he would encourage her to buy the food and eat. Once she had argued with him that she was used to going without food for days at a time. However nearly as soon as she made her case, she had passed out, collapsing onto the floor from severe hunger. When she had awoken, Lance practically force fed her for the following three days.

Jingling the coins in her hand, Pidge made her way over to a fruit stand and bought two oranges. She kept her surprise masked when she realized she received change.

Pidge walked back to the little house she had, wondering if Lance would be there or if he was scamming people into giving him money. She chuckled to herself, as much as she hated to admit, Lance’s flirtatious antics came helpful at the end of the day when they could afford food.  

As she approached the house, cheeks full from the orange she was biting into, she heard objects falling and breaking. She widened her eyes and hurried to the source of the noise. Pidge was smart enough not to immediately open the door, instead she peeked from the window and saw several people inside. 

Bandits… Pidge cursed to herself and at the universe because really? Thieves? They were already poor enough as it is, and what could a  thief want from their small house? Still, Pidge let out a grumble and let out a yelp when the door was slammed opened.

“What was that?” 

The thieves turned their eyes and landed on her. Pidge widened her eyes and tried to back away, dropping the orange she was holding. She let out a gasp and felt herself grow cold when one of the guys took out a knife and began to step closer. 

Oh god, Pidge looked around her only to find snow and trees and no sign of another human. She could try to outrun them, that was her best option…. Pidge was never good at running. The guy pounced towards her, knife in hand, aiming for her. 

Pidge was about to move when another arm yanked her away. 

“Pidge!” 

Lance’s voice came and Pidge felt herself almost cry from happiness.

“Come on, let’s get out of her,” Lance exclaimed, tugging her arm along and running as fast as he could. Her short legs couldn't pick up Lance’s pace, and she was still too frozen from the fear to properly run, so Lance picked her up and carried her. 

“I can run Lance,” PIdge answered, her senses coming back. Lance snorted.

“Yeah, and you can dodge knives pretty well too.” Pidge shut up after that. 

Lance carried her until they were far enough away. Afterwards, Lance let go off her and both of them began to walk slowly without direction. Pidge was holding onto Lance’s hand, both of them with a simple question on their mind.

“We can’t go back there…” Lance looked at her, “right?”

Pidge only looked away, the answer clear in her eyes. The answer lingered in the air, none of them wanting to say it. They had grown attached to the little broken shack, but it wasn’t safe anymore and chances were that those thieves were probably on their way to destroying or burning it, there would be nothing left for them. Pidge was glad she had her music box with her, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she lost the only reminder of her dearest friends.

“I think there’s a place we can stay,” Lance whispered. Pidge turned to look at him, a soft smile on her face. Lance smiled back and hugged her. This was fine, as long as they had each other they would could find a way to make all of this work for them.

…

…

This wasn’t fine.

“Ta dah! A palace for m’lady!” Lance exclaimed, jazz hands and a huge grin on his face. Pidge felt herself run out of air.

This was the palace where it all happened. After the massacre no one had lived on it, and Pidge had never dared to go back. She didn’t even try to remember it, she tried to make it go away, become a fading memory. Over time it worked, so well that Pidge couldn’t recall its location.

Until now.

The old bushes were there, all dead and yellow and covered with snow. The trees that used to bloom were now fallen and in pieces. The palace was a broken reminder of what happened. The walls seemed to be crumbling down, the windows were all shattered, crystals all around them. Planks of wood covered all of the holes in the building, and Pidge was sure there were at least a whole family of mice and cockroaches living inside. 

“Pidge?” 

“I can’t.”

“Pidge. We have to.” 

Lance’s tone made it clear that this was the only choice they had, and well, Pidge wouldn’t argue when he used that tone. She nodded. 

(Pidge was brave enough, she was strong enough, and maybe it wouldn’t hurt as bad…)

Both of them began to find a way inside, shaking away spiderwebs and dust that fell into themselves.

“I know a passage,” Pidge mentioned, leading them behind the castle and through broken pillars and pieces of cement. Lance followed close behind her, their feet stepping into dead leaves, the crunching sound echoing behind them.

Once they reached the hidden door, Pidge took a deep breath and began to pick the door, hoping the old trick she always used would work after all this time. A small click reverberated and Pidge grinned. 

Lance smiled and hurried inside. 

It was a cold, depressing sight. The utter lack of life and light made Pidge’s heart ache with a quiet agony that never once left her. She bit her lip in an effort to stop her eyes from filling with tears as she looked around, the ghosts of the past so easy to imagine; fine gowns of satin whirling around on the ballroom floor, ornaments that once glittered in the candlelight. The great chandeliers above them no longer sparkled, instead large cobwebs hung from them like the lacy shrouds of wraiths, creatures she found in books she used to devour with a passion. The bitter, stale air pierced her olfactory senses as it further drove in the fact that yes, she was back in the palace, but she wasn’t  _ home _ . She didn’t dare look hard enough to find some sort of sign of her family having once been here or for any symbol of her boys.

Suddenly they jumped as they heard a hum coming from another room. They exchanged a glance and while Pidge took a step forward, Lance took a step back.

“What are you doing?”

“Well we gotta find out who is humming!”

“Pidge! That’s the opposite of what we want to do! We can find shelter somewhere else!”

“You suggested this!”

“Yeah, and just because I did you will go along with it!?”

“Seriously Lance?!”

A cough came from behind them and they both turned to see the person. 

It was girl. 

This girl contrasted against the palace; she had soft sparkling eyes and she was giving them an amused smile. Her hair was short and framed her round face. She also seemed to tower over Pidge, even being taller than Lance. Her beautiful dark skin made the big golden hoops around her ears stand out.

“Hi,” Pidge squeaked. 

“Hello, I’m Shay. And you are?” Lance grinned and approached her, grabbing one of her hands and leaving a soft kiss on it.

“I’m Lance, and that is my friend Pidge.” Shay chuckled and rolled her eyes, pulling her hand away. 

“Nice to meet you. Now, if you don’t mind, what are you doing here?” Pidge narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

“We could ask you the same.” 

“I usually stay here, it’s quite cozy once you get rid of the spiderwebs.” Lance let out a low whistle, glancing around.

“Yeah I bet.”

“So, are you planning on staying?” Shay asked, glancing between the pair. Lance looked at her and then at Pidge.

“We wouldn’t want to intrude.” Pidge nodded.

“Oh not at all! Do you not have a place to stay?” Pidge shrugged.

“Let’s say a couple of thieves might have found it.” Shay widened her eyes and approached them, quickly scanning for any injury.

“That's horrible! Are you guys hurt? I can heal most wounds, I can get my bandages-”

“We are fine-”

“But in need of shelter,” Lance interrupted. Shay immediately wrapped her arms around them, pulling them closely.

“You guys can stay here. I would love the company and I’m sure you guys can find this palace to be a very comfortable place to stay!” 

Pidge let out a forced smile, however one glance at Shay and Lance and she knew they  would be staying here. The palace held so many bad memories, heck it was the source of her nightmares… but Lance and her needed a place to stay, and Shay seemed nice. 

Before she gave it more thought, she agreed to stay. 

Later Pidge would find out she wouldn’t regret that decision, rather it would be one of the best choices she could have taken. Lance and her would become quite comfortable with the big space available to them. Along with Shay, they were able to find comfort in the palace, though it took Pidge a little bit longer than she would have liked.

* * *

As Pidge would also come to know, Shay had better culinary skills than either Lance or herself. She could make amazing meals with just simple ingredients that Pidge or Lance would bring. This later proved to be because Shay was a baker. Pidge surprised herself by not figuring out earlier.

Shay worked on a bakery near town, and her pay was enough to buy essential things they needed. More or less. Like Lance, Shay had a heart of gold. 

A heart of gold with some deviousness melted into it too. She would usually trick people to get their money, or steal food, all to feed a family that was running short of groceries, or to help a couple of kids who didn’t have anything or to help that single mother and her little son. Pidge admired this a lot more than she could ever tell Shay.

* * *

“So what’s for today?” Lance hummed in response and began to dig through a bag that he was carrying. they were all happily walking back from the small town, the cold air making them shiver once ina while.

“I got a loaf of bread and some cheese.”

“I got some fruits,” Shay added. Pidge smiled, tinkering with the new tools she had managed to trade today in the market. Just as she was about to enter the now once-again familiar palace when she felt someone tug her sleeve.

“Hey what-”

“I think there’s someone there,” Lance whispered, laying down the bags he was carrying. Shay nodded and followed close behind him. Pidge rolled her eyes but nonetheless patted the spot where her dagger was. They walked silently through the snow and then entered the building as stealthily as they could. 

Lance pointed towards where a faint echo of footsteps was heard and they all nodded. As they went closer, Pidge felt her heart beating faster, drumming and buzzing. 

There was a loud thud in the ground, startling the trio. Immediately Lance began to run towards the person and so did Shay.

It was a man.

Lance approached him and poked him, only to get pushed to the side by Shay.

“Is he dead?”

Shay said something back, but Pidge couldn’t hear under the buzzing in her ears and the quick, sharp breaths she was taking. She looked up, above the man there was a painting of the royal family. (the emperor, the empress, Keith and-)

She looked back down and tried to suppress a gasp. 

It couldn't be. 

Pidge tried to tell herself that this man wasn’t… he couldn't be…. Impossible, Pidge wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it but she couldn't find it within herself. 

The guy opened his eyes, quickly glancing around. His eyes stopped when they met hers, widening for a second. Pidge swallowed, those were the same eyes, heartbreakingly familiar. Pidge felt her eyes begin to grow blurry, she quickly wiped the tears before they could spill. 

With one more look, Pidge curtly turned around leaving confused eyes behind her. 

Later that night, Shay and Lance had led this man to their room, offering him food, blankets and a new coat. The man took them hesitantly, but nonetheless expressed his gratitude. Pidge wasn’t there for any of that, she was hiding in another room in the palace far away from him. 

“Pidge,” she turned around to find Lance and Shay approaching her, concern on their faces.

“I’m fine,” she stated before they could ask and press on. Shay only sighed but let go of the question.

“I think he needs our help.” Pidge shrugged.

“I don’t think he does. He is fine-”

“Pidge!” The girl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. Lance was watching both of them carefully.

“Am I the only one who noticed how much he looks like the prince?” He darted his eyes at Pidge, who turned around sharply.

“We are not helping him.” 

Shay took a deep breath, making Pidge tense her shoulders and Lance take a step back. Whatever Shay was going to say was going to be the course of action the group would take. (it was common knowledge that Shay was kind and gentle, but whenever she made a decision, it was very hard to fight against her.)

“Pidge, we are helping this man. Lance is right, he looks a lot like the prince so I think it’s a good idea if we take him to the city and see if any member, maybe emperor Keith, recognizes him.” 

“But-”

“Pidge.” 

Pidge nodded and that was that. There was a somber silence hanging all around them, and it wasn’t until Shay’s arm wrapped around her that Pidge realized she had been staring at the floor.

“This man wants to find his past. Wouldn’t you like to-”

“Shay, you know I would. I would be happy to help him get his memories back or reunite him with his family or anything but-”

“He might even be Emperor Takashi!” Lance offered, a grin on his face and his eyes sparkling with hopefulness.

“And if he is not? I can’t handle that Lance.”

There was another beat of silence before Pidge cleared her throat.

“We are helping him. But keep him at a distance from me.” 

Shay and Lance looked at each other before nodding to Pidge. All of them went back to where Shiro was, and as they sat down and Shay began to explain how they were planning on helping him, Shiro couldn’t help but notice how Pidge was avoiding his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> review ^^

**Author's Note:**

> Review pls ^^


End file.
